2011 Mini-Season for Lobster

[mselenaous]

These incidents are always sad. Just from the sheer numbers of small private boats on trailers going down Overseas Hwy the past few days is indicative of the high number of bug-hunters out there today. Conditions today have been less than idyllic ("raging seas and howling winds") and many would consider today's conditions challenging beyond their comfort level. Although more of the same is expected for tomorrow, there is always hope it will lay down.

 

[Ana]

There is something very special about these 2 days of mini-seasson. If it wasn't such an enourmos money maker I'm sure it would be eliminated.

Even among locals there is a considerable percentage of people with strong feelings about it. You have the group that can't miss it and either takes leave from work or calls in sick, and then the other group that will not touch the water no matter what, even if they have been diving every wednesday and/or thursday of the year.
I used to know locals that would only dive during those 2 days, is weird.

Last year I had a medical procedure scheduled for July 30th, as always before doing something drastic I go diving, just in case things don't go as planned at least I went diving. Well I went diving that Thrusday of mini-seasson, no plans of hunting just to reset my brain and make peace with myself. I was busy being scare about the following day and was fortunate that my husband managed to find a very peaceful site for me to dive.
I'm glad all that is now a memory and I've made many dives since that one. All this month I've been getting calls about diving today and tomorrow... I'll pass this year.

 

[Jax]

Mini-season is just chock-full of everything people love to love and hate -

Hunters and hunting

The "right" of in-duh-viduals to do as they please, even if they are not in shape, physically or mentally, to do it.

The excitement of being 'first"

Bragging rights

The true sadness of it is that divers somehow think they do not have to ready themselves for this sport as much as one would any other.

Which why skiing deaths happen on the first days of snow, as well.

 

[cruiser]

ISad to see the deaths over something so silly as a lobster.

A FREE lobster

 

[Jax]

A FREE lobster

Transportation to/from Florida - $300
Dive boat x 2 days - $90
Accommodations 3 nights - $300
Food on the road - $150
Snacks, cooler, ice, beer, etc. - $100

How much were those lobster, again????

 

[DennisS]

5 min to beach
$5 for a fill

I can wait a week or two for regular season. Boaters/divers have a gold rush mentality during mini season. If they think you might be on a good spot they'll move right in.

If it was lake calm I'd probably go for a look after work, it looks crappy out there.

 

[Jax]

5 min to beach
$5 for a fill

I can wait a week or two for regular season. Boaters/divers have a gold rush mentality during mini season. If they think you might be on a good spot they'll move right in.

If it was lake calm I'd probably go for a look after work, it looks crappy out there.

Show off!


But like mselenaous said, the locals are part of it, or avoid it. That gold rush mentality seems to be the catalyst, but every diver is responsible for themselves and they seem to forget that.

 

[mselenaous]

Transportation to/from Florida - $300
Dive boat ($90/trip/pp) x 2 days - up to $360if 2trips/day
Accommodations 3 nights - $300 minimum - this week $150/night
Food on the road - $150+
Snacks, cooler, ice, beer, etc. - $100+

How much were those lobster, again????

Don't forget limit of 6/day. Add the cost of fuel for towing your boat down to FL Keys, fuel for private boat, fishing license w/ lobster stamp $25...
Seatow set up a booth in front of Divers Direct...there were apparently plenty of calls today.

 

[Jax]

Sounds like a fabulous time to double-dip the Duane!!!

 

[Dsix36]

It is sad and needless. People don't check there gear, they pull something off the shelf that has been sitting there since last years mini season, jump in, sometimes with there air off. It's mostly a bunch of silly mistakes. There's a group of us who have been called morbid but we guess at how many will die each year. In two days somewhere between 3-7 people will die making simple, shallow dives.

Although we have been called morbid on more than one occassion, I really prefer to think that we are being realistic from our past experiences in our own backyards.